Thompson Friday Forecast

Good afternoon Thompson families:

Today was an interesting day at TMS to say the least. As I’m sure you’ve seen from my previous correspondence, we had a power outage to navigate this morning/afternoon. The power outage lasted approximately one hour, right in the middle of lunch periods. I can not begin to explain how impressed I was with the patience and understanding from our student body and staff. It was a great reminder that sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches.

On a separate note, I wanted to broach the subject of cell phones at Thompson Middle School. Recent research has raised significant concerns about the impact of cell phone use on adolescent brains. Studies have shown that excessive use of cell phones can interfere with cognitive development, leading to reduced attention spans, impaired learning, and lower academic performance.

For instance, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that adolescents who spent more than three hours daily on electronic devices were more likely to experience high levels of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, research from the Pew Research Center revealed that 45% of teens feel overwhelmed by the pressure to respond immediately to messages and notifications, contributing significantly to their stress levels.

In light of these findings, the leadership team at Thompson Middle School is dedicated to creating a healthy and productive learning environment. Therefore, we will be reevaluating our current cell phone policy to better support our students' well-being and academic success.

Over the next few weeks, we will be seeking input from teachers, students, and parents to consider various perspectives on this matter. Our goal is to develop a balanced policy that addresses the need for technology in education while maintaining a focused and stress-free learning environment.

Your feedback is invaluable to us. I invite you to share your thoughts and perspectives by meeting with me over the summer. Please feel free to reach out to schedule a meeting at your convenience. Your insights will play a crucial role in shaping a policy that best serves our students.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement in your child's education. Together, we can create an environment that fosters both academic success and personal well-being.

Dr. Matt Clark

Principal

Pushcoin yearbook sales will close on May 29th.

The morning of May 30th, we will have parent volunteers distribute the yearbooks during Period 1.

During Period 2 we will call down any students who would like to purchase with cash/check.

If you are interested in volunteering, sign up here: Yearbook Distribution Sign Up

• Thompson will host an 8th grade Awards Assembly on Thursday, May 30, 2024 (the last day of school) at 11:15 AM in the Thompson Middle School Gym (Doors 4 and 5). Parents are welcome to attend, though this is a fairly short awards assembly where all students will not be formally recognized. In addition, we plan to webcast the event so it can be viewed remotely. With that, we do make sure that the parents of any student who is receiving an award are notified.
  
  

• In the afternoon, after the awards assembly, there will be a picnic lunch for 8th graders. Students will be able to bring a lunch from home, or purchase one from our cafeteria to sit outside and eat. PTO will be supplying a sweet treat for every 8th grader as well.
  

Attention Orchestra Families!

We are in the home stretch--summer is right around the corner! As you begin to fill up your summer with activities and vacations, you should consider our very own D303 Summer Strings Camp!

This camp will be for orchestra students who are currently in grades 3 - 8. Camp will be June 17,18, 20 and June 24, 25, 26 and 27 in the evenings at Thompson Middle School.

Please visit the link in Pushcoin for more details! Questions? Ask your orchestra teacher or email the Director, Angie Wifler at angela.wifler@d303.org

Summer Strings Registration

Physical and Immunization Requirements:

Attention parents of incoming Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade students! Per Illinois school code, your student will need a school physical and a complete record of immunizations prior to the first day of school next year, which is August 14, 2024. Make your appointments today-these appointments fill up quickly! Please contact your school nurse prior to May 30, 2024 if you need a copy of your child's immunizations. You may turn the required forms into your school nurse anytime!

Mrs. Michelle Dague - Assistant Principal

Ms. Sarah Frankiewicz - Assistant Principal

Mrs. Danielle Moeller - Student Support Coordinator

Mr. Sam Pasholk - Student Support Coordinator

Email: katrina.michaelis@d303.org
Website: http://thompson.d303.org
Location: 705 West Main Street
Phone: (331) 228-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thompson-Middle-School-671638232903851/